High pressure fully openable tank



06L 1968 D. T. DOBBINS ETAL 3,

HIGH PRESSURE FULLY OPENABLE TANK FIG-I. Y T

INVENTORS David T. Dobbins 8 Frederic E Stafford 1963 D. T. DOBBINS ETAL3,404,796

HIGH PRESSURE FULLY OPENABLE TANK 2 Sheets-Sheet Filed Feb.

United States Patent 3,404,796 HIGH PRESSURE FULLY OPENABLE TANK DavidT. Dobbins, Los Altos Hills, and Frederic F. Stafford, Los Altos,Califi, assignors to Westinghouse Electric Corporation, Pittsburgh, Pa.,a corporation of Pennsylvania Filed Feb. 16, 1967, Ser. No. 616,608Claims. (Cl. 2203) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A large high pressurefully openable tank is fabricated primarily from comparatively low coststeel plate. Hydraulically actuated holding frames retain removable topand bottom end members on a cylindrical body member. The holding framesare reinforced with bandings of a suitable material.

Background of the invention This invention relates, generally, topressure tanks and, more particularly, to large high pressure tankswhich are fully openable.

A tank large enough to contain a large test model, for example, a modelabout 10 feet in diameter, and capable of withstanding a pressure of10,000 p.s.i.g. is inherently bulky and heavy. To manufacture such atank by utilizing mass production tools, for example massive forgingdies, is not practical as such tanks are normally not produced in largequantities. Furthermore, steel of a quality and size suitable for makingvery large forgings is expensive and is not readily available.

An object of this invention is to provide a large high pressure tankwhich is fabricated primarily from relatively low cost steel plate.

Another object of the invention is to provide a high pressure tank whichcan be fully opened quickly to permit access to the interior of thetank.

Other objects of the invention will be explained fully hereinafter orwill be apparent to those skilled in the art.

Summary of the invention In accordance with one embodiment of theinvention, there is provided a tank having an open-ended cylindricalbody and removable end closure members. The cylindrical tank body isformed by rolling and welding a heavy steel plate and the end membershave curved tapered exterior surfaces. The ends are retained on the bodyby means of two holding frames disposed at opposite sides of the bodyand having tapered inner surfaces engaging the tapered end surfaces. Theframes are moved toward the body along guide rails by hydrauliccylinders to engage the ends and away from the body to disengage theends. The frames are of welded steel plate construction reinforced byhanding with relatively thin strips of alloy steel sheet wrapped aroundthe frames.

Brief description of the drawings For a better understanding of thenature and objects of the invention, references may be had to thefollowing detailed description, taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a view, partly in section and partly in elevation, of a tankembodying principal features of the invention and showing the tank inthe closed position;

FIG. 2 is a vertical sectional view, taken along the line II-II in FIG.1;

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing the tank in the closed position;

FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the tank in a position 3,404,796 PatentedOct. 8, 1968 intermediate the closed position and the open position; and

FIG. 5 is a view, in perspective, showing the tank in the open position.

Description of the preferred embodiment Referring to the drawings, andparticularly to FIG. 5, a high pressure tank 10 comprises a cylindricaltank body 11 open at opposite ends, a top end closure member 12, abottom end closure member 13, two holding frames 14 for retaining theclosure members 12, and 13 in position on the tank body 11 for closingthe tank, horizontal guide rails 15 attached to opposite sides of thetank body 11 for slidably supporting the holding frames 14, fluidpressure operated means 16 for moving the frames 14 along the guiderails 15 toward and away from the body 11, a support base 17 attached tothe bottom closure member 13, and supporting members 18 for supportingthe outer ends of the guide rails 15. Each supporting member 18preferably comprises three legs 19 which are welded together at theirupper ends.

The tank body 11 is preferably formed by hot rolling a thick steel plateinto a hollow cylindrical shape of the proper length and width toprovide a tank of the desired diameter and height, and then welding thetwo ends of the plate together to form the cylindrical tank body. Alarge thick steel plate (for example, a plate one foot thick by thirteenfeet wide by thirty-five feet long) can be hot rolled by means offacilities which are more readily available than are facilities for deepdrawing a tube or dome of similar proportions.

Since the end closure members 12 and 13 are not highly stressed in thepresent structure, they can be cast from relatively inexpensive steel oraluminum. Each end closure member is a generally cylindrical segmentwith an inwardly extending annular flange 21 which fits into thecylindrical tank body 11. The flange 21, as-best shown in FIGS. 1 and 2,may be machined to receive an O-ring gasket 22 to seal the joint betweenthe flange and the tank body 11.

Each end closure member has a central cylindrical outer surface 23disposed bet-ween two opposed end surfaces 24 of frusto-conical shape.The end surfaces are thus curved and tapered in opposite directions forreceiving the holding frames 14.

A lifting lug 25 is attached, as by welding, to the cylindrical surface23 of the top end closure member 12, and the support base 17 may bewelded to the cylindrical surface 23 of the bottom end closure member13. A suitable fitting 26 (see FIGS. 1 and 2) is provided on the bottomend closure member 13 for pressurizing the inside of the tank when thetank is in the closed position. Also, the fitting 26 may be utilized fordraining liquids from the tank.

As shown more clearly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the holding frames 14 arepreferably of welded steel plate construction. Each holding framecomprises a steel plate which is formed into a generally rectangularloop 30 having vertical side portions 31 and curved end portions 32.Each end portion 32 has a tapered inner surface 33 which engages theassociated tapered surface 24 of an end closure member with a wedgingaction when the holding frames are forced into encompassing relationwith the end closure member.

The side of the holding frame facing the tank body 11 is open. However,the side away from the tank body is closed by a steel plate 34 which maybe welded to the side portions 31 and the end portions 32 of the loop30. A centrally disposed vertical brace 35 may be welded to the outsideof the plate 34. A bearing housing 36 is provided on the brace 35 for asleeve bearing 37 which slidably and rotatably supports the holdingframe 14 on the guide rail 15 which is disposed at the horizontal axisof the tank.

In order to reinforce the holding frame 14, two outwardly extendingspaced flanges 38 and 39 may be welded to the outer periphery of theloop 30, and banding material 41 tightly wrapped around the loopvertically between the fianges. The banding material is preferably acontinuous strip of thin high strength, steel sheet which is relativelyinexpensive. Other suitable materials, such as steel wire, may beutilized if desired. The banding material 41 may be applied by spinningthe frame 14 about the guide rail 15 and applying sufficient material toobtain the desired hoop strength in the loop 30 of the holding frame.

As previously explained, the actuating means 16 are utilized to move theholding frames 14 toward and away from the tank body 11. As shown, fouractuators 16, of any suitable type provided for actuating each one ofthe frames 14. The actuators 16 are symmetrically disposed about thehorizontal axis X-X' and the vertical axis Y-Y' of the tank structure.They are preferably of the hydraulic type, each actuator including apiston (not shown) slidably disposed inside a cylinder 42. Each cylinder42 has an annular flange 43 thereon which is attached to the plate 34 inany suitable manner. The piston (not shown) is attached to an actuatingrod 45 which is pivotably connected to a lug 46 by means of a pin 47.The lug 46 may be welded or otherwise attached to the side of the tankbody 11.

Suitable fittings 48 are provided on each cylinder 42 for connectinghydraulic lines to apply fiuid pressure inside the cylinder to eitherside of the piston under the control of a suitable valve, as well knownin the art. Thus, fluid pressure may be applied simultaneously to all ofthe actuators 16 to force the holding frames onto the end closuremembers 12 and 13 with a wedging action as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3.Likewise, fluid pressure may be applied to the actuators 16 to withdrawthe frames 14 to the position shown in FIG. 4, after which the top endclosure member 12 may be lifted from the body member 11 by means of thelifting lug 25, as shown in FIG. 5, thereby fully opening the tank tomake the interior of the tank body 11 accessible. In this manner, thetank may be quickly closed and opened without the necessity of removinga large number of head bolts as was necessary on prior structures.

The tapered fit bet-ween the end members and the holding frames preloadsthe banding material slightly upon closing the tank. Thus, aspressurized air is admitted to the tank through the fitting 26 theinternal pressure raises the top end closure member 12 only minutely asthe strain in the banding 41 is increased above the preload applied bythe hydraulic actuators to the holding frames 14.

The radial expansion of the end closure members 12 and 13 can be made toapproach that of the tank body 11 by providing a cavity 49 in each ofthe end closures. Therefore, the sealing effect of the O-ring gasket 22is maintained in the event of such radial expansion.

Instead of forming the tank body 11 by rolling a heavy steel plate, thetank body may be formed by a welded steel tube of lesser thicknesssufficient to support a large number of layers of banding or wrappingmaterial similar to the material 41 on the holding frames 14. The tubeshould be thick enough to permit machine finishing of its outer endsurfaces to permit sealing by the O-ring gaskets. After the banding orwrapping material is applied it could then be brazed solid on each end,thereby assuring continuity of structure.

From the foregoing description it is apparent that the inventionprovides an openable tank of fabricated construction which is lighterand cheaper than tanks of prior construction capable of withstandinghigh internal pressure. Furthermore, the tank may be quickly opene andclosed, and it can be manufactured by utilizing tools and materialswhich are readily available.

Since numerous changes may be made in the above described constructionand different embodiments of the invention may be made without departingfrom the spirit and scope thereof, it is intended that all subjectmatter cointained in the foregoing description or shown in theaccompanying drawings will be interpreted as illustrative and not in alimiting sense.

What we claim is: p

1. A readily openable high pressure tank comprising a cylindrical tankbody open at opposite ends and having a central axis, end closure memberfor closing the open ends of said body, holding frames disposed atopposite sides of the body,

means for moving the frames toward the body along an axis normal to saidcentral axis to engage and urge the end closure member into sealingrelation with the tank body and away from the body to dis engage the endclosure members, and

banding means wrapped around the frames in loops parallel to saidcentral axis for reinforcing the frames.

2. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of theend closure members is removable and has opposed tapered exteriorsurfaces, and the holding frames have tapered interior surfaces forengaging the surfaces on the end closure member with a wedging action.

3. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein the banding meanscomprises a plurality of continuous loops of strips of relatively thinsteel sheet.

4. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein the means formoving the frames includes hydraulic actuators attached to the frames.

5. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein at least one of theend closure members is a generally cylindrical segment with oppositelydisposed end portions having surfaces of frusto-conical shape forengaging the outer surfaces of the end closure member with a wedgingaction.

6. The high pressure tank defined in claim 5 wherein each holding frameencompasses the body and end members and is of generally rectangularshape with curved end portions having a tapered inner surface cooperablewith the frusto-conical end portions of the closure memher.

7. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein guide rails areattached to opposite sides of the body for slidably supporting theholding frames.

8. The high pressure tank defined in claim 7 wherein each holding framehas a brace with bearing means therein for one of the guide rails.

9. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein each holding framecomprises a steel plate formed into a generally rectangular loop withtwo spaced flanges extending around the outer periphery of the loop toretain the banding means on the frame.

10. The high pressure tank defined in claim 1 wherein the cylindricalbody is composed of rolled and welded heavy steel plate,

each end clossure member has an annular flange which fits into an end ofthe cylindrical body and at least one of the end members is movablealong the vertical axis of the body to provide access to the interior ofthe body.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,360,391 10/ 1944 Birchall 220-3RAPHAEL H. SCHWARTZ, Primary Examiner.

